Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-06


agement. It's usefulness Is materially limited by
the fact that it belongs TO and Is appurtenant Il
the asylum and workhOuse: Many in need Of
advantage OF the aid 1t affords because OF its CON
nectiOn with the institutions mentioned. These
are principally meritoltous and respectable indi
OF the benefits OF municipal hospital having
more congenial relations and associations. Fol
such persons provision should be made without
delay. There are several institutions In the Dis
trict receiving aid in part from the public reve.
nues that extend gratuitious medical and surgi
cal relief, but the commissioners are Of opinion
that exp ndftures OF money for purposes OF this
nature should be made through the agency OF ar
institution owned by the District, and amenabie
to unrestricted governmental surveillance and
control. They thereto e recommend that provi.
sion be made for the erection or a city hospital IN
some central location, which shall have connected
with IL ample emergency accommodations.
CoDIFIcATIoN OF DISTRICT LAWS.
The Commissioners can advance nothing more
on the merits OF this subject Of codfying the law
for the District than they have already presented
in previous reports and communications. They
concentrations that early provisions be made to
relieve the embarrassment now suffered by all
classes on this account
In this connection the Commissioners have been
pleased to note that gentleman OF this city, who
Is specially qualified for such work has been en-
gagged for several years In collecting and coliating
In force here, and they are Of opinion that II
would be great public advantage II his work
should De adopted Dy Congress.
WATER SUPPLY.
The last annual report OF the Commissioners
treated generally Of the defects Of the water sys.
reports OF Capt. Symons with reference to the
water and sewers contain valuable Information
and detailed data or great interest.
Local benefits have accrued from changes made
In the Distribution and from more careful admins
tration Of the service, and minor sources OF dssa
isractiOn have been largely diminished, but much
are needful before the supply can be made salts
factory. The actual amount OF water delivered by
the conduit II properly utilized, Is much 10 excess
of the real need and the attention or Congress IL
invited to the large waste OF water which takes
place in the great Federal ofnces and TO the need
OF adopting measures to check II.
Viii awaiting the completion Of the new aque-
duct and reservoir, the construction Of which Is
proceeding under the direction OF the War De-
are generally expected it is to be observed that
the present shortage considerable areas OF the
city win inevitably continue even after the COM
petfOn OF the new work, uni IS means are taken
to restrict the use of water within reasonable lin
its and for useful purposes There Is DO advan-
tage whatever, public or private, In permitting q
pipe which Is Intended to deliver water for use
full employment to waste its full volume bay and
night, discharging probably hundred times more
than IS put TO any useful or legitimate purpose at
With regard to the details Of the service certain
legislation Is desirable. In laying MAINS for ex-
the property binding on the line Of pipe shall petit
ton for its construction. This OnerOus condition
imposed upon property owners has been found a
serious disadvantage, as the refusal or the owners
of unimprOved lots or corner properties otherwise
supplied TO sign the petition, In many cases pre-
vents the commissioners from extending the
sable Either the proportion OF property required
petition for the main should be greatly diminished
or the Commissioners should be empowered with
out reference to petition TO lay mains, when in
their Judgment they are needful and suitable an.
preparation has been made. During the past year
odr intof Of
ment has been carefully examined and in many
respects improved Examination OF the books Of
the water once disclosed me isct that aconsidsr
not paid)1t, and that in numerous cases permits
for Connections had been granted without making
Tic discussion of the subject revealed the
fact that the provisions OF law with
reference TO the matter were not commonly
were made, which inquiry Immediately proved
groundless. As an outcome OF the discussion the
matter nnally resolved itself down 70 question
ton to be made between the uses OF MONEYS de-
rived from the Waterman tax and those derived
from Wass1 % THIS
R. 8 Of the U. 8. relating TO the D. c., 'sec
Georgetown shall never be source OF revenue
Otner than as means Of keeping up to said cit es
supply Of water, but shall constitute fund ex-
clusivey for the maintenance, MANAGEMENT and
repair Of e system OF water distribution"
ASec aO3 The water tax authorized to be levied
and collected by the provisions Of The four pre-:
exclusively defray the cost OF distribution Of the
water, including all necessary fixtures and ma
In The lighc OF the fact that the District author
ties have only to deal with the question OF distr
button. that Of supply being retained in the con-
Of these two sections fails 70 disclose any
clear distinction between the uses Of the
respective funds. The water rates being
repair OF the distribution. while the water
takes are to defray the cosl" Of the distribution.
however this may be, the uniform practice, since
the passage Of the act has been TO regard the
water revenues rr0m all sources As common fund
pursuance Of appropriations without reference to
their original source. This practice annually re-
ey IN ire
Changing caa i. Investigation Of the schedule
In with reference to the assessment OF domestic
charges against dwelling houses. The Washing
ton system OF assessment 10 BY front foot and NUM-
high being taken as the unit, with an additional
charge for each front loot and story added The
rate levied excused the larger sized houses fron
was therefore made efecttng more equitable adj
tustment OF the matter.
fund by the payment OF interest and sinking fund
charges against the two accOunts OF bonds for
former expenditures and 90 per cent Of the ex-
pendttures for the new works amount to nearly
one-har the total revenue and annually limit the
operations OF she service for the 0etterment OF ex
iytang conditional There are always more mains
70 b. laid Than there Is money 70 pay for and any
unexpected draft such as was occast0ned,
! lor example. by the bursting Of tns
street main which brings the priacipsi
ervOaf 70 great extent crpples the
service until further appropriation can 6e obtained
In matter o. such vial importance ~ The water
service Il may be seriously Questioned whether the
| full weigh, Of this burden should tall upon the
wateF-taken OF whether the payment Of the
nxed charges should not more properly be borne
"A isrrs fraction o. Us inhabitants Of the city
| are new Gettlag thar water supply. practically
nee q charge Nnce ne builders and ownes q
nn to provide them with water appli
enoeA end TIE fnhahlta1ts are lor,ed %
SesGH % ftEs panlic kydrank Il Tn
Conlaisaioasa were enpoweTsd q osdsr O. ~.
| Inc q vatoe mains WttnoQt pee1t10n tnto evil
vSnA b aneads1 ~ an sltefnaive % TIA
snoHn g noe e sAoPksa sene iorm g tax ahould
the Imposition Of hy0IAne TAI upon ~ premises